A NOTE FROM OUR CHAIRMAN
I
t is my very great pleasure and privilege to accept the post of Chairman of the Freemen of the City of Newcastle. On your behalf, I want to provide leadership which will strengthen the Freemen and help and encourage all Freemen and the wider public to recognise the relevance of the Freemen of Newcastle in the 21st Century, also, to be aware of, and appreciate, the diverse and important work we do for the benefit of the City, the public and the environment. We should never underestimate the value of the effort and support that you as Freemen give to enable this to continue into the future.
Jim Johnson Tanners, Hostmen
Jim has an encyclopaedic knowledge of the rules, regulations and the whole of the Town Moor estate and keeps us all on track. He provides oversight in the office for admin and IT matters but perhaps Jim’s most important role is Events Manager. He is on the Town Moor Joint Working Group, has an excellent relationship with all of our event and business partners and works exceptionally long hours to keep things – especially events such as the Hoppings - running smoothly. Jim, his sons and now his grandsons are NUFC nuts!
Our priorities over the coming months will be to ensure our Operational activities continue and are sustainable, bearing in mind our strong commitment to protect our open spaces, the environment and biodiversity, including climate change mitigation; we will strengthen and widen our business partnership network to ensure we take advantage of the many opportunities available to us. We will have a transparent and open communication style. It’s fair to say, we have a lot of work to do; I’m delighted to say we have a very strong and skilled Stewards Committee who are keen to ensure ongoing and future success. With that in mind, I think it’s high time you met the rest of the team who work so diligently on our behalf, and whilst it’s fair to say we all roll our sleeves up to get the job done, we each have specific skill sets we bring to the table:
Keith Hall Masters and Mariners, Hostmen, Colliers
For many years, Keith was a trustee of the St Mary Magdalene and Holy Jesus Hospital and was instrumental in project managing the building of 49 fabulous new bungalows on the estate. He is the Chairman of the Town Moor Money Charity (TMMC) which has provided much needed financial assistance for thousands of Freemen and their widows over the years. Keith has completed 29 Great North Runs so far, raising thousands for charity and is looking forward to his 30th GNR next year.
Chris Atkinson Ropemakers Chris has particular interest in all construction and infrastructure projects. Chris provides expert advice on issues relating to the property portfolio such as Guildhall, Blue House and Moor Bank Lodge to name a few. He also provides invaluable input to projects involving the history of Newcastle and is a trustee of TMMC. Chris has been an associate of the Great Run Company for almost 40 years Chris, is grandad to the lovely Grace, who we met in Issue 24
Freemen Magazine
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